"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
~Martin Luther King Jr.

–•–•–•–

Raven followed the two all the way back to the apartment.

"Dick?"

"What is it Vic?"

"What did you think would happen if you didn't say anything?" He asks.

"They'd take her and do whatever they did to they Moone girl. My dad had to deal with people like them. They'd fight over whether to sell her or keep her for some sort of personal gain."

"Really?"

"Really. But I didn't really trust her to begin with."

"To be honest, I kinda felt like there was something off." Vic agrees.

"Then why'd you ignore it?" Dick asks as he opens the door. "Last time you felt like 'there was something off' it was Terra and you know how well that went."

"I don't know man. I liked her. She was cool." They travel up the stairs in silence, only for a small bit of guilt to creep into Vic's face. "You know Gar isn't going to talk to us for months right?"

"He'll get over her." Dick says putting the keys in the door again.

"I don't think he will. She broke that necklace he made for her."

"He got over Terra."

"Well that was different. He was the one who made her leave."

He has experience.

"Then this shouldn't be any different." They toss all the stuff I'm the garbage and Dick sits on the couch.

"I feel bad about it Dick. What if she wasn't lying? What if what she told us was actually true?"

"You think that bull was true? All I got was that she's dangerous."

"Kori seemed really upset too."

"I guess I see where she's coming from. Ever since her sister went to jail she hasn't really been able to connect with any other girls. She's told me that so many times. But Raven isn't that person to connect with."

"Dick, you're her boyfriend. Not her father. It's not up to you to dictate who she hangs out with. Or any of us for that matter."

"Well I do have to protect her from anything I can. I promised her I would. I also promised my Dad that I'd keep us all out of trouble. I'm just doing my job."

"You job? Dick, your job is to go to school until you actually get a job. And she doesn't need protecting. Last time she got into a physical fight with somebody she won man. And that was 6 years ago. I don't think she needs protecting."

"Who's side are you even on Vic?" Dick asks clearly annoyed.

"I was on your side, but your acting kind of like a D-bag like Gar said. I feel guilty is all."

"Fine. Feel however you want. But don't cone running to my 'loaded' dad when you're trying to get bailed out of prison." Dick props his feet up onto the coffee table.

"Dick seriously? How can you be so calm right now?! We just outcast a girl who has no records or paperwork! Even if she does manage to find a way to move past whatever is happening she can't do anything! Gar didn't even give her the cell phone!"

"Like she needed it."

"Man, are you trying to actually make everyone hate you? You need to relax and think."

"Again, who's side are you on Vic?"

"Agh Vic! Would you stop trying to guilt trip me? Just because you feel guilty over a murderer doesn't mean I have to! I meant what I said and I wanted her to leave!" Raven rises up through the floor and hides in the shadows of the dark hallway. She makes the couch and the coffee table disappeared from under him and he lands on the floor with a thud. "Ouch!"

"Ha ha! Not enough justice in the world." Vic says.

"You should feel guilty Victor." Raven speaks.

"Oh great she's here." Dick sighs as he gets up and dusts himself off.

"Do you have any sense of remorse Richard?"

"Hey! Watch it Raven!"

"Why should I? I owe you nothing." Raven makes the TV explode into a multitude of wires and sparks. "Neither of you deserve anything I can give you. And I could have given you anything."

Vic looks around for Raven, but to no avail. Dick nonchalantly gets up and gets a bag of chips. Obviously content with himself.

"I know your thinking it Vic, so I'm just going to say it and leave, because being in the same room with you angers me. Dick, you need to calm the hell down and look past the outside of people. Coming from Vic. Not. Me." Then Raven makes his bag of chips explode and morphs through the walls.

She ends up outside and flies through the darkness. Over the rooftops to try and find the other two. She hears someone call her name and she pulls her hood up.

Landing on a fire escape, she peers down to see Kori and Gar walking along the edge of the beach. Their hands are cupped around their mouths as they've been calling her name to the heavens for the last ten minutes or so.

They sit defeated-like on a bench nearby and Raven sits crosslegged on the metal below her. She feels their pain and sadness and anger without even trying. However it's not as bad as hers.

Garfield takes a long sigh and looks at Kori. Then The two start looking around and Raven scoots back as their gaze passes her. They glaze over her in a passing glance.

"Raaaven!" Silence. Not even a plane flies overhead to break it. It seems neverending.

Gar sighs again.

Maybe I'll stay and listen to them.